Moving right along with the world's first 100-percent aftermarket classic truck, we are finally ready to tear the truck down and get to the finish work. Of course, there was some final fitting of the front end parts that we had to do down at Paint 'n' Place while the truck was in one piece, and we'll show you that in an upcoming issue. But once they pulled all the glass and steel off the chassis, it was back to the Primedia Tech Center, where we stripped down the chassis to the bare Walton frame, and rounded up all the other bare metal parts for powdercoating.

We chose Specialized Coatings in Huntington Beach, California, for our powdercoating needs because of their state-of-the-art facility, quick turnaround time, competitive pricing, and wide selection of color (check around, because a lot of powdercoaters can't accomodate a complete frame due to the size of their oven). In addition to the standard color chart, Specialized offers candies, flakes, and just about any other coating you can dream up. They also "specialize" in high-performance ceramic coatings for engine internals, Chromex High-Heat Ceramic for external engine parts and exhaust, and SCX Crystal Clear, which is a clear ceramic that is changing the way we think about billet wheels. It's no wonder Specialized has become the official powdercoater for "Overhaulin'" and just about every other automotive TV show out there.

We trailered the frame and other parts over to Huntington Beach. After a day of sandblasting, we came back to pick out a couple colors and see just how they make the powder stick to the metal. By the end of the week, we were back at the Tech Center performing the final assembly of the '56, which you will be reading all about next month. Stay tuned, and give Specialized a call for any of your powdercoating needs.